It Was Love All Along
by HexenGrimm4ever
Summary: This story takes place during and after the season six episode "El Cuegle". It contains two of my favorite deleted scenes from the episode, as well as explores how Nick realizes he is in love with Adalind. This story also acts as a prologue for my other fanfic, "The Proposal". Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Nick stared at his reflection in the mirror. He couldn't let Adalind see his bloodshot eyes and make her realize he had been crying. She had gone through enough in the last few days, he didn't want her to worry about him on top of everything else.

Adalind had finally come home with him tonight, this time for good. They had been apart for far longer than Nick could take, and he had missed her more than he thought possible. When Adalind had mentioned that she was so happy to be back here with him, he had taken her hand and let her know he had thought he would go crazy without her. And he had meant every single word. His mind had travelled to extremely dark places in the time she had been away; he would have gone on a murderous rampage just to get her and their son back. But he thought best not to let her know just how close to the edge he had been. So instead, he had locked himself in the bathroom and had let the tears flow.

Nick decided to shower in the hopes of washing away the pain that had engulfed his heart on the night he discovered her goodbye letter in their empty loft. He hadn't been angry at Adalind, she had simply done what she thought was the only way to protect him. He knew Renard and Bonaparte had been the ones to force her hand; she never would have taken Kelly away from him. She loved him, she had said so in the letter. And he believed her completely.

The warm water felt incredibly soothing, and it seemed to heal his wounds. He stayed under the showerhead for a while, until he was sure the pain had completely disappeared from his face. He then dried off and slipped on his jogging pants. He took another look at his reflection in the mirror. The darkness that had taken over his eyes was now gone. He was going to be fine... nothing and no one would keep him and Adalind apart from this day forward.

He walked out of the bathroom and went to check up on Kelly in the room next to his. He was sound asleep in his crib, with a faint smile on his face; 'he must be dreaming about his mommy' Nick thought. He bent down to kiss his forehead as if to let him know his daddy was there now, and that he would never let anyone take him away from him again.

When Nick walked into the bedroom, Adalind was sitting in bed. She was absolutely gorgeous, her blond wavy hair perfectly combed, her eyes as blue as the Caribbean Sea. He could feel his heart starting to beat a little faster; he had longed to have her back in his bed, and now she finally was.

He turned off the light and noticed Adalind was staring at him, a smile across her lips.

"What?" Nick asked.

"You better kiss me" Adalind responded defiantly.

Nick smiled at her and slipped under the sheets, climbing on top of her. He kissed her gently at first, then with increasing intensity. He drowned himself in her arms, forgetting about the terrifying nightmares that had kept him awake all those nights they had spent apart. He had missed the smell of her skin, the sweet taste of her lips, and most of all, the warmth of her body against his own.

"Nick" Adalind whispered. "I've missed you... I need you."

Nick looked down at her beautiful face. He didn't need her to ask him... he knew what she wanted, and he so desperately desired the same thing. He bent down to kiss her again and slowly started undressing her as he caressed every inch of her perfect body. She ran her fingers down his back, sending electric shocks through him. When he slid inside of her, he heard her moan softly. She felt so warm, like the water that had washed away his tears earlier. Every muscle in his body craved her after having been away from her for what seemed like an eternity. As he made love to her, Nick swore to himself that he would never let her go again, that he would shield her from all the evil out there. He silently vowed to protect her at all costs and to give her all of him, including his heart.

It was in that very instant that Nick Burkhardt realized he had fallen in love with Adalind Schade.


	2. Chapter 2

Nick had always known Adalind had a special hold on him from the first moment he had laid eyes on her. He had never been able to explain it, or maybe he didn't want to admit it to himself, but she had always been on his mind... now he knew she had also been in his heart from the very beginning.

When he had first met her, he immediately felt drawn to her, like a moth to a flame. She was so beautiful, like an angel sent from the heavens above. He didn't realize it then, but he now knew that he had fallen in love at the very first sight of her. It had taken six years, filled with countless unpleasant encounters and fights, but most recently tender moments as they had learned to live and raise their child together, for him to finally recognize just how much he cared about Adalind. But the latest events had definitely helped him shine a spotlight on the absolute truth. Almost losing Adalind and his son had driven a knife through his heart, and the open wound had let out a flow of emotions that he had kept buried deep down... until now. As he gazed at her, asleep in his arms, Nick knew he had finally found her... Adalind was the love of his life.

Adalind slowly opened her eyes and saw that Nick was staring at her. She smiled at him but quickly noticed his eyes were filled with tears.

"Nick, is something wrong?"

"No, I just..." he said, the emotion clearly hearable in his voice. "You have no idea how much I've missed waking up next to you" he whispered. "I didn't know if I'd ever get to be with you again..."

"I'm sorry... I know I hurt you when I left and took Kelly with me. But I never would have gone through with it had it not been necessary to keep you safe. All I wanted was to protect you, Nick. I hope you can forgive me..."

Nick didn't let her finish; he leaned in to kiss her and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He didn't want to let go of her, he needed her to continue breathing, to remain alive.

He knew he would soon have to head to work, but his only desire was to be with Adalind. So when he heard his cellphone buzzing on the nightstand, he chose to ignore it. Nothing else mattered most to him in that moment; she was the only one on his mind, and in his heart.

"Nick" Adalind said between her lips as he kept on kissing her. "Your cellphone is vibrating..."

"I don't hear anything" Nick lied without breaking the kiss.

"What if it's important?" she moaned, clearly enjoying the moment just as much as he was.

"Nothing is more important than you and me" he whispered as he rolled her onto her back and began making love to her again.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

This new case Nick and Hank were working on was hitting close to home. They were investigating the kidnapping of a baby boy by a Wesen known as 'El Cuegle', a three-eyed and three-armed creature believed to eat infants. They had apprehended him and were now observing him through the interrogation room's one-way mirror.

Nick wanted nothing more than to rip into the suspect. But given the fact that he had just reintegrated his job at the precinct, his hands were as good as tied... he had to act as a cop, not a Grimm.

"How do you want to do this?" asked Hank.

"What, besides tearing his head off?" Nick responded, the anger flashing in his eyes.

"Good thing he doesn't have three heads."

Nick's mind flashed back to the night he had come home to find Kelly's empty bassinette. He remembered how helpless he had felt at the thought of never seeing his son again. He hadn't blamed Adalind for leaving, he knew she had been forced into it... but he hated not being there for his son. Kelly had been taken away from him, just as this baby boy had been snatched away from his parents' arms by this baby-eating Wesen.

"You know I can't stop thinking... what if this happened to my son? I can't protect him from everything."

"Nobody can. I think Kelly's lucky to have you as his dad."

"Well I wish I felt that way" Nick said as he turned away from Hank and walked out of the room before he could hear his partner say 'At least one of us does'.

* * *

When Nick got home that night, Adalind was at the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea. He was so happy she had waited up for him. He had never needed her more.

"Hey, you look drained. Are you ok?" she asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah, I've had a rough day" he answered, walking up to her.

"Did Sean cause you more grief?"

"No, nothing like that... it's just this case Hank and I worked on today..." he responded.

Adalind got up from the table and wrapped her arms around him. Nick hugged her tight, feeling better already.

"What was the case about?" she asked, looking up at him.

"A monster."

"Aren't they all monsters?"

"Yeah, well this one was in a category of its own."

He stroked Adalind's hair and gazed at her. She looked back at him, her love clearly reflected in her eyes. He felt so grateful to have her back in his life. He didn't think he could survive her slipping away from him again. He kissed her gently, holding on to her tight.

"Nick" she said, breaking the kiss after a moment. "You never let me finish apologizing to you this morning..."

"You don't have to apologize" Nick interrupted. "I know you did it to protect me. You weren't given a choice, neither of us was. But I don't want to think about it anymore. You and Kelly are back where you belong... with me."

Adalind smiled and raised her head to kiss him. Nick wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. He then walked towards their bedroom and gently lay her down on the bed.

"Adalind" he whispered. "Promise me you will stay with me… I couldn't bear to lose you again."

"I promise" she said. "You are the only one I want to be with… I love you… always."

Nick was on the verge of telling her he loved her too, but before he could say the words Adalind took his face between her hands and pulled him closer so she could kiss him.

He lost himself in her and time stood still as they made love over and over again. When he regained consciousness of his surroundings, Nick remembered the words he had wanted to say before Adalind had taken him to heaven and back. She was lying on top of him, her face resting on his chest. He gently stroked her shoulder and kissed her forehead.

"Adalind…" he said.

But he realized she was already asleep. He would have to confess his love for her some other time. It was ok he thought… they had a lifetime ahead of them.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days later, Nick was on his way to the precinct when he came across a roadblock, forcing him to take a different route. He turned left at the next intersection. As he was driving, the street seemed familiar but he couldn't quite remember when he had been there. But as he spotted the coffee shop ahead, he knew exactly where he was. Without realizing what he was doing, he quickly pulled over in an empty parking spot nearby. He turned off the engine of his car and looked out the window. This is where it had all begun; this is where he had met the love of his life.

His memory flashed back to that fateful day six years ago. He remembered every little detail so perfectly, like it was permanently burned in his mind.

He was leaning against the passenger door of Hank's car when he noticed her walking out of the coffee shop, laughing as she spoke with another woman he assumed was her colleague. Nick couldn't help but stare at her, this goddess who was undoubtedly the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. He immediately felt something stir deep down inside of him, a strange yet warm feeling he could not explain. Hank was talking to him, but Nick was unable to take his eyes off her… nor did he want to. And when she noticed him looking at her, she smiled back at him, as though she too had felt the attraction. But then, her face changed; the stunning beauty turned into a terrifying creature, one that would haunt his dreams for months to come. Nick thought he was going crazy. But he later found out that the woman had triggered something inside of him and sent him on a life-changing journey; he had become a Grimm.

A loud honk drew Nick back to reality. He was still in his car, staring at the coffee shop. Any second now he was expecting to see that beautiful woman walk out again. But he knew it was impossible; Adalind was at the opposite end of the city, in their loft.

Nick was about to start the car again when he noticed the building next to the coffee shop, another familiar place; the jewelry store where he had purchased Juliette's engagement ring.

Nick's cellphone started ringing; it was Hank.

"Hey Hank, what's up?" he answered.

"Nick, where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the precinct" he lied.

"Actually, don't bother coming here. Wu just called, they found a body in a motel on 5th Street and South East Stark. Just meet me there."

Nick was staring at the jewelry store.

"Nick, are you there?" asked Hank.

"Yeah… look, there's something I need to take care of first. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Nick hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. He then got out of his car and headed towards the jewelry store.


	5. Chapter 5

"Can I help you?" asked the gentlemen behind the counter as soon as Nick entered the store.

"Yes… I'm looking for something for my…" Nick started.

He realized he didn't know what to call Adalind. Somehow the word 'girlfriend' seemed inappropriate. She was so much more than that; she was the person who had changed his life by making him a Grimm. She was the woman who had carried and given birth to his precious son. She was the angel who had given his life meaning, who had given him a reason to live. No, 'girlfriend' was definitely not the term he would use to describe her.

The clerk was looking at him, a puzzled look on his face.

"I'm sorry" Nick said. "I'm looking for something for my soulmate."

"How wonderful! We actually have great deals on gold necklaces…"

"No, I'm actually looking for an engagement ring" Nick interrupted.

"Oh, of course you are!" the clerk exclaimed. "Follow me then, I will show you our selection of diamond rings."

The man led Nick into a small room in the back of the store and invited him to sit down while he took out a few velvet jewelry trays. He then sat down in front of Nick and started showing him a variety of engagement rings with diamonds of all shapes and sizes.

"So how long have you two been together?" asked the clerk.

"Well, we met about six years ago, but things were… complicated" Nick answered.

"Ah, and by that you mean someone else was in the way?" the man said with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that" Nick responded. "It took a while for us to realize we were made for each other" he said, smiling. "We now have a son and are living together."

"So it's time to make it official!"

"Yes, it's time. I don't want to waste another second."

"That's wonderful! So, tell me more about your special lady. It will help me figure out what type of ring would suit her best."

"She's absolutely amazing" Nick said, his eyes twinkling. "She's my everything. Obviously she's beautiful, smart and funny... but she's so much more than that. She challenges me every day, but at the same time, she keeps me sane."

Nick felt his chest rise as his heart started pounding.

"I recently almost lost her... and it made me realize just how much she means to me. I never want to be apart from her again."

"And that's why you're here" said the clerk with a large smile.

The man had shown Nick numerous rings already, but none of them spoke to him. He was starting to think he wouldn't find what he was looking for until he saw it; a thin band, adorned with tiny diamonds, topped with a large round center stone surrounded by a halo.

"That one!" Nick exclaimed.

"Ah, yes... this one is breathtaking, isn't it? It's called 'Amor Eterno' which translates into eternal love."

"That's exactly how I feel about Adalind" Nick said.

The clerk removed the ring from the velvet tray and handed it to Nick so he could take a closer look. It was absolutely stunning. Its design reminded him of their story; how they had started on opposite sides, a villainess and a hero, only to come together, ultimately finding what he hoped would be their ever after happiness.

"It's perfect" Nick said.

"Fabulous! How do you want to arrange for payment, would you like to pay in installments?"

"That won't be necessary, I'll pay it in full now."

"Great!"

The clerk opened a drawer and took out a blue velvet box, the color of which reminded Nick of Adalind's eyes. They then went back to the front of the store to proceed with the payment.

"Here you go sir!" said the man. "I wish you the very best of luck!"

"Thank you."

"It was my pleasure! If there's anything wrong with the size, you can come back within the next three months and we'll resize it for free."

"Great, but I don't plan on waiting that long to ask Adalind to marry me. I don't want to waste any more time than we already have."

Nick walked out of the store and headed for his car. Before he could open the door, his cellphone started ringing.

"Nick Burkhardt" he answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Well hello Mr. Burkhardt, this is Adalind Schade. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to pick up some milk on the way home as we are almost out."

"Of course Miss Schade" Nick said, smiling. "I'll see you soon."

He hung up and looked at the velvet box he was holding and thought to himself that he would soon get to call her Mrs. Burkhardt.


	6. Chapter 6

When Nick got to the crime scene, Hank was examining the body. He looked up as he heard Nick approaching.

"I was wondering when you'd get here. Is everything ok?" asked Hank.

"Yeah, I just had to take care of something."

"All right..."

"Everything is fine Hank" Nick said when he got a puzzled look from his partner. "So what do we have here?"

"Massive trauma to the head" responded Wu as he appeared out of nowhere. "The victim's skull was fractured using an unidentified blunt object. But this is where it gets interesting; the brain seems to have been sucked right out of the skull. I'm thinking the perp had a craving for stewed brain."

Nick and Hank both looked at him with a disgusted look on their face.

"I happen to know that brain is a delicacy in Filipino cuisine. Tuslob-Buwa is a dish made from pork brain and liver, cooked with chili, salt and other spices. Not that I've ever had any, of course."

"That's just nasty" said Hank.

"Were there any eyewitnesses?" asked Nick, trying to get the image of brain stew out of his mind.

"None" answered Wu. "But do we all agree this is Wesen-related?"

"Let's see what the ME says first" Nick said.

"All right, I'll keep you guys posted once we find out more. I'm off to lunch!"

Nick and Hank watched Wu as he walked away, and then looked at each other.

"You don't think...?" asked Hank.

"I don't wanna think about it" responded Nick.

"So... did your errand earlier have anything to do with Adalind?"

Nick was caught off guard. For a second he thought he would start blushing, but he quickly recovered.

"No..."

"Uh-huh. I'm sure it had nothing to do with her" said Hank, making fun of his partner.

"Why do you need to know?" asked Nick on the defensive.

"I don't... I just think it's funny you're trying to lie to me. Look, I know the last few days have been rough. And things aren't what they used to be at the precinct... but you and Adalind will be fine. I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

"I bought an engagement ring" Nick blurted out, surprising himself.

"Wow... ok..." Hank said, speechless.

"I love her Hank... this whole thing with Renard really opened my eyes and made me realize just how much she means to me. I can't imagine my life without her. I know she's not your favorite person after what she did to you, but... she's changed so much. She's not the vengeful Hexenbiest she used to be."

"I know... you wouldn't have fallen in love with her if she was. I'm happy for you Nick, really. I wish you both nothing but the very best."

"Thanks man" Nick said with a smile on his face.

"So when are you going to pop the question?"

"Soon, I don't want to waste another minute... life's way too short."

"I totally agree... are you planning to invite Renard to the wedding?"

Nick knew his partner was joking.

"I'd rather fight a Siegbarste" he said.


	7. Chapter 7

When Nick finally got home that night, Adalind had just put Kelly to bed. Diana was also sleeping.

"Hey" Adalind said when she saw him come in. "How was your day?"

"Awful" he said as he put the milk she asked him to buy in the fridge.

"Why, what happened?"

"I was away from you" he responded as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

Adalind laughed and kissed him back.

"I missed you too" she said.

"Did you?"

"So very much. Are you hungry?"

"Actually, there's only one thing I'm hungry for" Nick said as he leaned in to kiss her again.

Adalind wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered herself to him. The two were kissing passionately and Nick was about to lead her into their bedroom when his cellphone started ringing. 

"Are you kidding me?" Nick said, exasperated. "I should have turned this damn thing off."

He looked at the phone screen to see who was to blame for the untimely interruption. It was Hank.

"Hank, what is it?" he answered, trying his best not to sound angry.

"Nick, sorry to bother you... we have another vic."

"Another brain-sucking victim?" he asked as Adalind cringed her face in disgust.

"Yeah, I know you just got home to Adalind, but we need you."

"I'll be right there."

Nick shut the phone and looked down at Adalind.

"I'm sorry... I have to go back."

"It's ok, I'm not going anywhere" she said wrapping her arms around his neck again. "I'll be right here waiting when you get back."

He put his hands around her waist and kissed her gently. He didn't want to let her go. He pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. When he opened them again, he looked deep into her beautiful blue eyes and smiled at the love of his life.

"I know you will" he whispered.

\- THE END -  
(Please read my fanfic "The Proposal" for more!)


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